Are We Allowed to Listen to Shabbat Music While Mourning? Originally Published April 29-30, 2022.
A reader asks, “If this Shabbat is Hod veHadar Instrumental Kabbalat Shabbat, and I am in mourning, am I allowed to go?” The answer basically is that we do not mourn officially during Shabbat, we observe Shabbat. To a large extent, mourning is suspended. There is a tradition of mourners not entering the Shabbat (Friday) […]
Fostering a Hopeful Future in Israel - May 1
Join leaders from the Northern Israel Center for Arts and Technology (NICAT), the Akko Center for Arts and Technology (A-CAT) and Manchester Bidwell Corporation for a discussion on how these organizations foster a hopeful future, provide economic opportunities and break-down ethnic, religious and cultural barriers for youth and adults in Israel while improving the socio-economic […]
Shababa-Mama & Shababa-Abba - Friday, May 6 - Registration Closed
Join us for a Mother's Day themed Shababababa on Friday, May 6 from 5 to 5:30 pm! All parents in attendance with receive a stemmed flower. Shababababa is Beth Shalom's musical service for Pittsburgh families with kids under age 8, led by our own Rabbi Seth Adelson. After the service, stay for a kid-friendly dinner […]
New Community Chevra Kadisha - May 1
Taharah, the ritual purification of the dead, is a beautiful, powerful, and Jewish tradition. The New Community Chevra Kadisha performs this important mitzvah in Pittsburgh. Join us on Sunday, May 1st at 1:00 p.m. in the Samuel & Minnie Hyman Ballroom and on Zoom to learn from their members.
Lag Ba'Omer Concert - May 19
Pre-ticket sales are now closed.Tickets can still be purchased at the door.Cash, credit cards, and checks accepted.Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Join Josh Warshawsky and the Chaverai Nevarech Band for a rockin Lag Ba'omer Concert at Beth Shalom on Thursday, May 19 at 6:00 p.m. According to Jewish custom, from Passover to Lag Ba'omer we […]
What Did the Sofer Do? Originally Published April 8-9, 2022.
Sofer David Haviv came to Beth Shalom on March 23rd to effect repairs on two sifrei Torah. Your correspondent was privileged to watch, inquire, and learn. One repair was to a seam which had separated in Parashat Re’eh, and the other was to a paragraph at the end of Parashat Beshallah, in which a tav […]
Passover 5782/2022
Passover is almost here! Check out all of the Passover resources in one spot. Passover Services Click Here to view the complete list of services Passover Resource List Passover Guides-Full RA Passover Preparationhttps://www.rabbinicalassembly.org/jewish-law/holidays/pesah/pesah-prep-and-resources-RA Passover Guide 5782https://www.rabbinicalassembly.org/story/pesah-guide-5782-CJLS Kashrut Subcommittee Recommendations 5781https://www.rabbinicalassembly.org/story/kashrut-subcommittee-recommendations-pesah-5781-Video Kashering Guide by Rabbi Jeremy Markizhttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAUaYjTp5xS6-rM0AlxKKC6VauyofyjaD-Rabbi Amy Levin's teshuvahhttps://www.rabbinicalassembly.org/sites/default/files/assets/public/halakhah/teshuvot/2011-2020/Levin-Reisner-Kitniyot.pdf-JSOR Passover Guide 5782/2022https://www.dropbox.com/s/r1hfu1bbfkz0jm4/JSOR%20Passover%20Guide%202022_Email.pdf?dl=0 Webinars, Classes, Articles […]
What Famous Jewish Individual Was Born April 6th? Originally Published April 1-2, 2022.
Andreas Ludwig Priwin was born in Berlin on April 6, 1929 (or possibly 1930), son of Jack (Jakob) & Lotte (Charlotte Epstein) Priwin, and would become known for his passionate and sometimes vigorous organizing of sounds into beautiful music. (Sometimes his hair seemed to be flying from his head and he seemed to have twelve […]